Faucheur
by xXnekuXx
Summary: Sakuno has a rare and deadly disease yet she still continues to smile. Her life changed for better and worse when Ryoma came into the picture.


**A/N: I read this manga called Nageku Shinigami a long, long time ago and I suddenly remembered it and made me want to write this story. You should try reading that manga, it's awsmazing. Main char looks like Ciel Phantomhive of Kuroshitsuji xD RxR~ **

**Note: This is an AU kind of story. **

**Disclaimer applies. **

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><p><strong>Faucheur <strong>

"_Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."_

― _Dr. Seuss _

"Here's your target, Echizen Ryoma." A deep voice resounded in an empty room. The so-called Echizen Ryoma simply nodded and walked out of the door then immediately disappeared.

Another voice sounded as soon as Ryoma left and said, "Echizen Ryoma, 12 years old. He got hit by a car on a way to a tennis tournament. Will he do well on his first job?"

"I think so."

"You think?"

"Well, he's still a newbie so some emotions may still be there inside him. It'll be sometime soon that he'll be like us, a being with no emotions."

~xoxoxoxo~

Ryoma covered his mouth as he yawned. He walked along the streets with a bored look on his face. He kept on walking until he reached a hospital. He stood outside the gates admiring the huge hospital. Somewhere in this hospital is his target. He entered the hospital after a while of admiring and went straight to the reception area.

"Could you kindly tell me where Ryuzaki Sakuno's room is?" Ryoma asked the person standing behind the counter.

"It's Room 147."

"Thank you." Ryoma said as he walked away to head straight to where the person mentioned.

Ryoma reached Room 147 and knocked on the door.

"Come in." A soft voice answered.

Ryoma opened the door and saw his target. The girl called Sakuno had her eyes wide open in shock.

"Who are you?" Sakuno asked as her head tilted slightly.

"I'm a shinigami. I've come to take your life." Ryoma bluntly answered.

Sakuno opened her mouth slightly in shock but giggled right after. Ryoma twitched.

"Why are you giggling? Do you think I'm joking?" Ryoma asked, slightly pissed off at being laughed at.

"No, no. I believe you, but does it have to be now? Can you wait a little longer?" Sakuno asked with an apologetic smile on her face. Ryoma almost gaped his mouth open in disbelief. How dare this girl ask a shinigami to postpone her death?

When Sakuno heard no answer, she tried again, "Please? I still have things that I want to do before I die." Sakuno said as she slightly looked down. She was still smiling and it kept Ryoma wondering how come she's always smiling like that even after learning that she's gonna die.

"Fine, I'll wait until tomorrow." Ryoma sighed. Sakuno looked back up at Ryoma with a bright smile on her face.

"Thank you very much!" Sakuno exclaimed. Ryoma turned around to leave but Sakuno stopped him.

"Wait! I still don't know your name."

Ryoma slowly looked behind him and asked, "Does it matter? You're gonna die anyway."

Upon hearing his answer, Sakuno pouted, "I'll still meet you tomorrow right? Or maybe even later. If I see you somewhere, I just can't call you 'Shinigami-san!' out loud. People would look at us weirdly and some may even believe that you're one."

Ryoma sighed before answering, "Echizen Ryoma."

"Ryoma-kun then. My name is -" Sakuno was cut off as Ryoma said, "Ryuzaki Sakuno. How could I not know my target's name. Bye."

Ryoma quickly left the room since he doesn't want to stay there longer. Her smile was bothering him. What kind of person smiles when she knows she's gonna die? She must be a crazy person. Another thing was still bothering him as well, how could he just postpone the girl's death so easily? Just what was it that made him do that?

~xoxoxoxo~

Sakuno stared at the door where her new friend was standing just a while ago. She wobbled a bit as she got off her bed. She slowly made her way outside and went straight to the garden which was outside the hospital.

As soon as she got out, she felt the wind blow across her face. She closed her eyes feeling the cool wind and smelt the wonderful smell of the flowers in the garden. She went to the grassy area of the garden and lied down on her back with her arms spread out. She looked up at the sky with a sad expression.

"So, I'm gonna die tomorrow huh..." Sakuno was about to let a tear fall from her eye but she heard some rustling that was headed towards where she was. She quickly sat up and found that it was Ryoma.

~xoxoxoxo~

Ryoma walked outside the hospital and shivered at the cool wind. Why was the weather so cold today? Rather, how can he still feel the coldness when he's supposed to be dead? Well, technically he isn't dead. He's a shinigami. Bah, what the heck. Does it matter if he's dead or a shinigami? Whatever he was, he's supposed to not feel anything. Maybe it's because he's still a newbie that he can still feel some things and have some emotions in him.

Ryoma passed by the garden but stopped as soon as he saw a person lying on the ground. It was a girl wearing clothes that meant that she was a patient in this hospital.

_'Is she even allowed to walk outside like that without supervision?' _Ryoma thought.

Ryoma watched for awhile and noticed that the girl wasn't moving. He quickly ran towards her thinking that she was dead but halted as the girl sat up and looked at him with a bewildered expression.

"Sakuno..." Ryoma blurted out. He widened his eyes as he just called her by her first name and covered his mouth as he looked away.

Sakuno's expression turned into a happy one and happily said, "You called me by my name! I'm so happy!"

"Forget about that! What are you doing outside your room? Patients are supposed to rest you know. I actually thought that you were dead since you were just lying there motionlessly." Ryoma scolded. This was probably the longest thing he said all the time when he was still alive.

"You're worried about me?" Sakuno blinked, "I thought that shinigamis were emotionless creatures."

"I'm still a new shinigami." Ryoma admitted as he looked away, "You're my first target."

Sakuno blushed as she found out that Ryoma was actually feeling shy telling her all this. It was just so cute in her point of view.

"In any case, what are you doing outside your room?" Ryoma asked again, trying to change the topic.

"Since I'm gonna die soon, I want to cram all the fun things I want to do. I went here to lie on the grass and look up at the sky." Sakuno cheerfully answered then she looked down a bit and said with a sad smile, "I couldn't do that when I was healthy since our backyard isn't grassy and because of my weak health, I've always stayed at home and can't go on trips."

Ryoma felt a little pity on the girl in front of her and he silently listened to what she still wants to say. Maybe just for today, he'll be her playmate so she can keep smiling even until her death.

"Anyway, won't you get tired standing there? Sit here beside me. I want to know you better." Sakuno said as she patted the grass beside her. She has a slight blush on her face as she motioned for Ryoma to sit.

Since Ryoma decided that he'll be her playmate, he went and sat beside her.

"You're a shinigami right? Don't shinigamis have scythes or something that they carry around? Rather, I imagine shinigamis to be more scary looking but you're quite cute." Sakuno blurted out. She realized that she just called him cute and covered her mouth. She blushed once again as she shyly looked in his direction. Sakuno removed her hand and sighed in relief as Ryoma doesn't seem to mind.

"Those are just myths. We're just people who died and got a job to take people's souls or whatnot." Ryoma replied. He wasn't sure how he became a shinigami though. Maybe the leader erased a bit of his memories?

"Then if you don't have a scythe, how would you take people's souls?" Sakuno asked.

"We kiss them." Ryoma bluntly answered.

Sakuno blushed and widened her eyes as she heard his answer and asked again, nearly shrieking, "On the lips?" For some reason, she doesn't want Ryoma to be kissing other girls on the lips just to take their soul.

"Not exactly."

Sakuno sighed in relief once again as he replied and said, "Well that's good."

Ryoma looked at her with a confused expression and can't help but ask, "Why is it good?"

Sakuno widened her eyes and blushed, "I-I mean, if your target was a guy, w-wouldn't you feel awkward kissing them on the lips?" Sakuno stuttered.

"Professional shinigamis doesn't have any emotions so they won't feel awkward about it." Ryoma answered.

"R-Right. I forgot." Sakuno laughed nervously.

Silence followed with just the rustling of the flowers and leaves heard. Sakuno desperately thought about any topic to discuss with Ryoma and brightened up as she found one.

"T-Then, if you take my life, where will you k-kiss me?" Sakuno stuttered and blushed. She wanted to slap herself for asking such an embarrassing question.

"N-Nevermind. That was a stupid question. Ahahaha." Sakuno took it back and glanced at Ryoma to see his reaction and blushed as she saw him looking at the sky seemingly thinking about her question.

"I better go back to my room. Obaa-chan would visit today and she might panic when she doesn't see me in my room. See ya!" Sakuno said as she stood up and quickly ran inside the hospital.

Ryoma watched her leave and thought, '_What exactly is that girl's sickness? She looks fine to me.' _

~xoxoxoxo~

Sakuno's grandmother entered the room and smiled as soon as she saw her granddaughter smiling at her.

"Obaa-chan! Something wonderful happened today." Sakuno cheerfully shared to her grandmother.

"And what was that wonderful thing?" her grandmother asked.

"I met a new friend. He was a quiet person but once he scolded me since I wasn't in my room. Knowing that he's worried about me makes me so happy." Sakuno blushed as she shared what happened.

Her grandmother slightly widened her eyes seeing how her granddaughter blushed as she told her story. She smiled right after seeing how happy she is just by telling her about her new friend.

After she finished telling her story about her new friend, Sakuno changed topics to the books she read in the hospital.

"I read this book about sports. Tennis interested me the most. Obaa-chan, you play tennis right?" Sakuno said energetically. Her grandmother nodded and she continued talking, "If I was healthy, you would teach me how to play right?" Another nod from her grandmother, "But since I'm stuck here in the hospital, I can't. I want to experience touching the tennis ball at least." Sakuno said as she slightly frowned.

Her grandmother noticed that Sakuno's being depressed and suggested that Sakuno should eat right now since it's lunch time.

Unknown to them, Ryoma was listening to their conversation behind the closed doors.

~xoxoxoxo~

That night, Ryoma gently knocked on Sakuno's room. Hearing no answer, he thought she was sleeping already and opened the door wide enough for him to peek inside. He opened the door fully seeing that she wasn't in her bed. He tried the bathroom but she wasn't there as well.

He quickly left the room and headed straight for the garden. It was a cold night, why would a sick person be out this time of night? He reached the garden and got worried since she wasn't there. He searched all over the hospital but found no trace of her.

Ryoma glared at no one in particular and asked himself, "Where is she?"

The rooftop was the last place to search and he banged it open and sighed in relief as he saw her.

Sakuno, upon hearing the door open with a bang, quickly turned her head around to see who it was and was shocked to find Ryoma.

Ryoma walked towards her as he scolded again, "It's cold tonight. Why aren't you in your room? You're sick aren't you?" Ryoma stopped walking as he noticed something sparkled in the corner of Sakuno's eyes.

"You, are you crying?" Ryoma asked.

Sakuno quickly rubbed the corner of her eyes with her palm and turned her back against Ryoma.

"W-What are you doing here?" Sakuno asked with a cracked voice. Ryoma heard her sniff and walked towards her.

"I was looking for you." Ryoma said. He stopped walking as soon as he was just right behind her. He continued talking, "You weren't in your room when I visited so I looked for you. It's cold outside. You should stay in your room."

"It doesn't matter. I'm gonna die anyway." Sakuno bitterly said.

Ryoma glared as soon as he heard her say as if her health doesn't have any value anymore. He kneeled down on one knee beside her and held her shoulders as he positioned her to look at him. He saw her face was red from all the crying and her tears still freely falling from her eyes.

"Where's the smiling face you always wore when you're with me? The cheerful voice you have instead of that 'I'm gonna die anyway' crap? Was the smile you showed me just a lie?" Ryoma shouted, letting his emotions all out.

Sakuno hiccuped, "Who wouldn't cry when everyday you're always stuck in your room watching children play happily outside and wished that you were in that small group too? I didn't even experience having a small group of friends in school since I'm always absent because of my stupid disease. I wanted to try a lot of things but didn't get a chance. I get jealous when I see couples pass by when I hang out in the garden. I, too, wanted to fall in love with someone. What hurts the most is to force myself to smile so that my grandmother wouldn't get worried when deep inside I'm broken to pieces. You even have to come and calmly say that I'm going to die. Do you know how it feels like to have someone say that to you?"

After Sakuno shouted all the feelings she hid deep inside her heart, she hugged her knees and hid her tear-stricken face behind. Ryoma removed his hands from her shoulders and sat beside her.

"Sorry."

Sakuno flinched but she kept her position. She whispered, "Why me? Why do I have to get this disease?"

Sakuno felt Ryoma place something beside her and stood up to leave. When she heard the door open and close, she slowly looked to her side and found a tennis ball. Her tears stopped and she picked up the tennis ball. She can't help but laugh lightly as she now knows the reason why Ryoma was looking for her.

~xoxoxoxo~

The next morning, Ryoma entered Sakuno's room without knocking. His face wore the stoic expression he usually has. Sakuno was wide awake and she turned to look at Ryoma with a smile. Her smile disappeared as Ryoma walked towards her and climbed on the bed. Sakuno fell back on the bed as she blushed with their close proximity. Ryoma was on top of her with his hands supporting himself on the side of Sakuno's face. His knees were on the side of her hips.

"I'm sorry but your time is up." Ryoma said with a blank expression.

Sakuno was wide eyed at first but softened into a smile.

"Ryoma-kun, will you cry when I die?" Sakuno asked while still smiling.

"Shinigamis don't cry. It's our job to take people's souls. We shouldn't take pity on our targets." Ryoma answered with a stoic face.

Sakuno frowned a little but smiled right after again.

"Ryoma-kun, I love you." Sakuno confessed as she bend her upper body forward and planted a small kiss on Ryoma's lips. Ryoma widened his eyes and Sakuno pulled away, falling back to the bed. She smiled once again at Ryoma and slowly closed her eyes and fell into eternal slumber.

Ryoma got out of the bed with his head bowed down, hiding his expression. He reached his hand out to hold her hand from under the covers and looked up at Sakuno's face as he recognized a familiar feeling. Sakuno was holding onto something and Ryoma pulled the blanket away to find out that Sakuno was holding the tennis ball he gave her. Ryoma's stoic expression broke down and tears fell from his eyes. He cried his eyes out as he apologized over and over to her.

_"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." _

**End **

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><p><strong>AN again: Faucheur means Death God in French. When I was thinking of a title, shinigami seems so lame and unromantic that's why I used the fail google translator to translate the word to other languages and settled with French xD**


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